MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Before missing three games because of a finger injury and a lower leg injury, Lakers star Luka Doncic was off to a historic start to the season.
And the 26-year-old Slovenian star picked right back up where he left off on Friday night, scoring 44 points and leading the Lakers to a 117-112 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies to kick off NBA Cup Group Play at FedExForum.
Doncic’s scoring total marked the third consecutive 40-point performance to open the season, following the 43 points he scored in the season-opening loss to the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21 and the 49 points he had in the Oct. 24 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Doncic, who also had 12 rebounds and six assists, became just the second player in league history to begin a season with three consecutive 40-point games, with Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain achieving the feat twice (seven games, 1962-63 season; five games, 1961-62 season).
Austin Reaves added 19 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart, both of whom played for the Grizzlies as recently as last season before being traded, embodied the impact on winning sentiment that Coach JJ Redick spoke about before the game.
LaRavia contributed 13 points, five rebounds, two steals and a pair of assists against the team that selected him in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft.
Smart finished with 12 points, four assists, three rebounds and a pair of steals. Doncic also had 12 rebounds and six assists in addition to his scoring total.
Doncic’s 25 second-half points, 16 of which came in the third quarter, helped the Lakers overcome a second quarter when they were outscored 42-24, leading to the Grizzlies holding a 69-55 lead at halftime.
Starting center Deandre Ayton (nine points in 17 minutes) didn’t play in the second half. He stayed back near the locker room after halftime, getting his back tended to by the Lakers’ medical team before rejoining the team on the bench during the fourth.
Jalen Wells and Jock Landale led the Grizzlies with 16 points during a game when star guard Ja Morant (eight points on 3-of-14 shooting) struggled. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 15 points and four rebounds for Memphis.
The Lakers will host the Miami Heat on Sunday night, which will be the first night of a back-to-back set, before traveling to Portland to face the Trail Blazers on Monday.
More to come on this story.